CASSIDY COVENTRY BLAZE forward Adam Calder is enjoying his best-ever season in front of goal.

Calder found the target for the 40th time with a double in the 8-1 rout of Cardiff Devils at the Skydome on Sunday night that keeps Blaze five points clear of Belfast Giants at the top of the bmibaby Elite League.

Blaze have three games in hand on Belfast, who have put together a stunning 13-match winning run.

Calder's form could be crucial in determining the destiny of the Elite League and the 31-year-old admits he's in the best form of his career.

"I think the most goals I've ever scored in a season before is 38," he said. "It usually takes me three weeks to get started, but this season it's all clicked from the start.

"I don't know why it's going so well this season. I've got a great understanding with Dan Carlson and that helps.

"We've played together for three years, so we know where each other is going to be on the ice and KC Timmons has come in and done a great job."

Calder is well on target to break the 50-goal barrier - but says he is more concerned with the team's success.

He said: "I would rather we won the league and I didn't score another goal than I got 50 goals and we ended the season empty-handed."

Calder admits the pressure is on to keep winning.

"Every time we win a game, Belfast win a game," he said.

"We've got three games in hand, but we have to win those to stay ahead. We've got to play Belfast twice as well, so it's up to us."

Blaze head coach Paul Thompson was understandably delighted after the rout of Cardiff.

His team hit back from 1-0 down with an astonishing seven-goal second period and he said: "We scored some great goals.

"Our execution was as good as it's been all season.

"We were 1-0 down at the end of the opening period and I just told the boys not to worry and to keep doing what they were doing."

Blaze and Newcastle Vipers clash in a Best of British game at the Sky-dome tomorrow night (7.45pm).

Both teams will be restricted to using four foreign imports and Thompson says Sylvain Cloutier, Curtis Huppe, Barrie Moore and Danny Stewart will be lining up for Blaze.